Pipe-cleaner.



H. W. LEE.

PIPE CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.14,1913.

Patented June 9, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

[Ill/ N H. W, LEE.

'PIPE CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED MAB..14,1913.

Patented June 9,1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. W. LEE.

PIPE CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.14,1913.

Patented June 9, 1914.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

EEHIIMEE H. W. LEE.

PIPE CLEANER APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14,1913.

1,099,556. Patented June 9, 1914.

4 SHEETSSHEBT 4.

nmrsn snares PATENT oFFIoE.

HENRY w. LEE, or 's'r. Louis, MIss oU'nr, assrc tbn er OlFE-HALE T EDWARD e. TUTT am) ONE-HALF To a. CLARK srnnn'r'r AND cnoncn H. SHIELDS, .13., ALL or ST.

LOUIS, Mrssounr.

PIPE-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 14, 1913.

To all whom, it may; concern Be it known that I, HENRY W. LEE, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for cleanin'g pipes, and has for its primary object to provide a device of this character which is adapted for cleaning the outer surface of pipes and is particularly intended to be used for removing the scale which forms on the pipes of ammonia condensers and the like.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a pipe cleaner having means which effectively cleans the outer surface of pipes and, at the same time, causes the cleaner totravel along the pipe or pipes being cleaned.

Further, the present invention consists of the novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which like numbers of reference denote like parts wherever they occur, Figure 1 is a front View of a pipe cleaner embodying the present invention, showing same mounted on a pipe to be cleaned; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of same, showing the pipes in section; Fig. 3 is an int'erior view of one of the halves of the drum; Fig. 4c is an exterior View of the other half of the drum; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 55, Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary interior view of the drum-supporting member; Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the drum, showing same opened to receive a pipe between. the halves thereof; Figs. 8 and 9 are detailed views of one of the cutters or cleaners; Figs. 10 to 13, inclusive, are detailed views of an alternate form of the means for holding the cutters in place; Fig. 14 is an end elevation of the pipe cleaner, showing a device in connection therewith for closing the drum around a pipe to be cleaned; and Fig. 15 is a perspective View of this closing device.

Ordinarily, the pipes of ammonia condensers and the like are arranged relatively close in parallel relation and are connected at the ends thereof. For this reason the pipe cleaner embodying the present invention is preferably designed so that same can be mounted on a condenser pipe from the side of the latter, thereby obviating the necessity of disconnecting either end of the pipe.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents.

the drum or cylinder, which comprises two semi-cylindrical members 2, the latter being preferably hinged together in the following manner, so that same can be readily placed around a pipe 3 to be cleaned and as readily removed from the pipe after the cleaning operation. Lugs 4 on the side of one memher 2 are arranged in pairs adjacent to the ends thereof, and each pair receives therebetween and has pivoted thereto by means of x a pin or bolt 5 a lug 6 borne by one side of the other member 2, the pins or bolts 5 being secured in place by set-screws 7 or other suitable means. The free side of one memher 2 bears a plurality of lugs 8, which are, also, arranged in pairs adjacent to the ends thereof, so that, when the drum 1 is closed, each pair of lugs 8 will receive therebetween a lug 9 home by the free side of the other member 2. Each lug 9 contains an opening 10, which, when the drum 1 is closed, registers with openings 11 in the pair of lugs 8 adjacent thereto, so as to permit of the insertion of a bolt or pin 12 through said openings 10 and 11, in order to lock the free sides of the members 2 together, said bolt or pin 12 being held in place by means of a set-screw 13 or the like, which fits in a screw-threaded opening in the end lug 8.

Each bolt or pin 12 is provided with a fiat side 14, with which the inner end of a setscrew 13 is adapted to engage for the purpose of holding said bolt or pin 12 in place,

sides of the members 2 to be moved apart, 1 size in diameter that the periphery of same the shoulder 15 on the bolt or pin 12 engages projects from the opening 19 into the intethe inner end of the set-screw 13 and thereby prevents the bolt or pin 12 from being withdrawn entirely from the opening 11 in the end lug 8, with the result of holding the bolt or pin in position to be inserted readily through the opening 10 in the lug 9 and the opening 11 in the inner lug 8 when it is desired to lock the free sides of said members together. The head 16 borne by the outer end of the bolt or pin 12 may have an opening 17, into which a hook or other tool (not shown in the drawings) can be inserted for the purpose of facilitating the actuation of said bolt or pin.

Each member 2 bears semi-annular ribs 18, which are located on the outer surface of same adjacent to the ends thereof, each rib 18 containing an opening 19 or a plurality of such openings. Each opening 19 receives a cleaning device, by means of which the scale or other formation or accumulation on the outer surface of the pipes 3 is removed. By preference, each cleaning device consists of a pair of cutters 20, which cutters are revolubly mounted-on a pin 21, though, if desired, each pin may have only one cutter or three or more cutters revolubly mounted thereon. The ends of the pin 21 rest in notches 22, respectively, in the outer surface of the rib 18 adjacent to the opening 19 and are preferably retained in place in said notches by a pair of plates 23. Each plate 23 is arranged to rest upon the outer surface of the rib 18 adjacent to the opening 19, and has a bifurcated end, the prongs 24 of which are bent so as to extend into the notches 22, respectively, and are provided with laterally-projecting feet 25, which rest upon flat sides 26 of the pin 21 adjacent to the ends thereof, as best seen in Figs. 1 and 5, the other end of said plate being bent so as to seat in a groove 27 in the outer surface of the rib 18 and being held therein by a screw 28 or a plurality of such screws or other suitable means. The plates 23 are formed of resilient metal so as to cause the cutters 20 to exert pressure upon the periphery ofthe pipe 3' in order to cut the scale, etc., on the pipe.

The periphery of each cutter 20 is provided with a plurality of notches 29, which are preferably dihedral in shape and are arranged in staggered relation in the peripheral edges of the cutter, so that the edge 30 in the periphery of the cutter between two adjacent notches 29 makes an acute angle with a plane perpendicular to the axis of the pin 21 and connects at the ends thereof with the ends of each edge 30 adjacent thereto, whereby all of said edges 30 unite to form a zigzag cutting edge, which extends entirely around the periphery of said cutter. Each cutter 20 is preferably of such placed around a pipe 3 as hereinabove described and is rotated in the manner hereinafter described, the cutters 20 will ride upon the periphery of the pipe and will travel through substantially parallel helical paths around the pipe, thereby causing the drum to travel longitudinally of said pipe. While the cutters 20 travel around the pipe 3 and ride upon the periphery of the latter, the zigzag cutting edges of the former cut into and break up the scale, etc., on the pipe, with the result of removing the same from said pipe. Openings 31 in the ribs 18 and openings 32 in the members 2 intermediate the ribs 18 allow the scale, etc., that is removed from the pipe to escape from the interior of the drum.

It will be observed that each end of one member 2 is provided with a cleaning device and each end of the other member 2 is provided with two cleaning devices as depicted in Figs. 2 and 7, but it should be understood that, while this number and arrangement of the cleanging devices preferable, yet, if desired, the number and arrangement of the cleaning devices may be varied.

The drum 1 is rotated by means of the following mechanism: Each member 2 bears a pair of semi-annular ribs 33, which ribs are spaced apart from the ribs 18, respectively, and are arranged so that the ribs 33 on one member 2 register in circular alinement with the ribs 33 on the other member 2. One of the ribs 33 on one member 2 bears gear teeth 34, which register in circular alinement with gear teeth 34 borne by its complementary rib 33 on the other member 2. Said gear teeth 34 are preferably beveled, and mesh with a beveled pinion 35, which is rigidly mounted on the inner end of a shaft 36, the latter being ournaled in an opening in a supportin member 37 and being preferably dispose at substantially a right-angle to the axis of the drum 1. The outer end of the shaft 36 projects from the member 37 and bears a crank-handle 38, by means of which the former is rotated to impart rotary motion to the drum 1 through the medium of the pinion 35 and the gear teeth 34. The member 37 extends longitudinally of the drum 1 from opposite sides of the shaft 36, and each end' of said member 37 bears a yoke 39 having a semi-annular groove or a plurality of such grooves in its inner face, one of the yokes 39 being adapted to straddle the drum 1 intermediate the ribs 18 and 33 near one end of the drum, and the other yoke 39 being adapted to straddle said drum intermediate the ribs 18 and 33 near the other end of same. Each groove 40 is preferably T-shaped in cross-sectional configuration, and receives circularly-alining semiannular ribs 41 borne by members 2, said ribs 41 being adapted to travel through said groove and being also T-shapecl in crosssectional configuration so as to be retained in said groove. By this arrangement, the yokes 39 support the drum 1 and allow the latter to be rotated. The ends of the ribs33 and 41 adjacent to the hinged sides of the members 2 are rounded slightly so as to permit the drum 1 to be opened.

In order to prevent the member 37 from rota-ting around the drum 1 when the shaft 36 is rotated, the member 37 is preferably provided with a pair of arms 42, which arms extend from opposite sides of said member at substantially a right-angle to the shaft 36 and the axis of the drum 1 and are disposed substantially in alinement with each other. The outer ends of the arms 42 are reduced so as to form pintles 43, each of the latter having a roller 44 revolubly mounted thereon, and each roller being preferably .relatively wide and being held in place, on its pintle 43 by a washer 45 and a cotter-pin 46 or other suitable means. The rollers 44 are located 1 at such distances from the drum 1 and are pipe being cleaned, whereby the pipe or pipes adjacent to the pipe being cleaned will prevent the member 37 from rotating around the drum 1, the result being that the drum 1 is caused to rotate around the pipe to becleaned, when the shaft 36 is rotated as hereinabove described.

When it is desired to place and lock the drum 1 around a pipe to be cleaned, the free sides of the members 2 are unlocked by withdrawing the bolts 12 from the openings 10 in the lugs 9 on one of said members, and the drum 1 is rotated to a position in which the ribs 41 on only one of the members 2 are in the grooves 40 in the yokes 39 borne by the member 37, after which the free sides of the members 2 aremoved apart so as to open the drum. The, loose member 2, z. 6., the member 2 whose ribs 41 are outside the grooves 40 in the yokes 39, is inserted between the pipe 3 to be cleaned and the next pipe adjacent thereto, and then the free sides of the members 2 are moved together and locked as hereinabove described, so as to close the drum 1 around the pipe 3 to be cleaned, thereby causing the cutters 20 to cut into the scale, etc., on the latter and to engage the periphery of same. In order to facilitate the closing of the drum 1 around a pipe to be cleaned, the closing device depicted in Figs. 14 and 15 may be used. This device consists of a lever 47, which is pivoted to and between a pair of eyes 48 on one end of a plate 49 by a pin 50 or other suitable means, said plate being preferably arcuated and the free end thereof having an inwardlyturned projection 51, and said lever having a tapered end 52, which extends beyond the eyes 48. In order to use this closing device, after the members 2 have been placed around a pipe to be cleaned and the free sides thereof have been moved toward each other until the cutters 2O engage the scale, etc, on the pipe, the plate 49 is placed across the free sides of the members 2 so that the projection 51 on the free end of said plate extends into an opening 31 in a rib 18 on one member 2 and the tapered end 52 of the lever 47 ex tends into an opening 31 in a rib 18 on the other member 2 after which the lever is rotated on its pivot 50 in the direction to cause the tapered end 52 thereof to move toward the projection 51, whereby the tapered end 52 of said lever and the projection 51 on said plate draw the free sides of the members 2 together, with the result of completely closing the drum 1 so as to allow the free sides of said members 2 to be locked together as hereinabove described, whereby the spring plates 23 cause the cutters 20 to cut into the scale, etc., on said pipe and engage the periphery of the latter. After the drum 1 has been closed around the pipe as just described, the closing device is removed in an obvious manner, so as to allow the drum to be rotated to cause the cutters 20 to remove the scale, etc., from said pipe. It should be observed that the sides of the yokes 39 are beveled as at 53, so as to allow the drum 1 to be opened from either side of the former.

In the alternate form of the means for resiliently holding the ends of the pins 21 in the notches 22 in the ribs 18 depicted in Figs. 10 to 13, inclusive, a one-piece spring plate 54 is used in lieu of the spring-plate 23. This spring plate 54 is secured at one end thereof to the outer surface of the rib 18 by screws cident to any outward movement of the cutters 20.

The operation of the pipe cleaner will be readily understood from the foregoing and needs no further description. 4

I claim:

1. A pipe cleaner adapted for movement along the length of a pipe comprising a revoluble drum adapted to'encircle the pipe and having a plurality of cleaning devices, a member having a pair of yokes rigidly connected thereto, which yokes straddle and revolubly support the drum, and means carried by the member for rotating the drum.

2. A pipe cleaner comprising a revoluble drum adapted to encircle the pipe and having a plurality of cleaning devices, and a member having a pair of yokes, which yokes straddle said drum adjacent to the ends thereof and have means for revolubly supportin said drum, said supporting means comprising annular ribs borne by said drum and semi-annular grooves in the inner faces of said yokes to receive and retain said ribs therein.

3. A pipe cleaner comprising a revoluble drum adapted to encircle the pipe and having a plurality of cleaning devices, and a member having a pair of yokes, which yokes straddle said drum adjacent to the ends thereof and have means for revolubly supporting said drum, said supporting means comprising annular ribs borne by said drum and semi-annular grooves in the inner faces of said' yokes to receive said ribs, said grooves and said ribs being T-shaped in cross-sectional configuration.

4. A pipe cleaner comprising a revoluble drum adapted to encircle the pipe and having a plurality of cleaning devices, a member having a pair of spaced yokes, each of which yokes straddle said drum and have means for revolubly supporting same, and means carried by said member and pro jecting into the space between the yokes for rotating said drum;

, 5. A pipe cleaner comprising a revoluble drum adapted to encircle the pipe and having a plurality of cleaning devices, a member having a pair of yokes, each of which yokes straddle said'drum and have means for revolubly supporting same, means carried by said member for rotating said drum, and a pair of arms borne by said member and projecting from opposite sides thereof.

6. A pipe cleaner comprising a revoluble drum adapted to encircle the pipe and having a plurality of cleaning devices, a member having a pair of yokes, which yokes straddle said drum and have means for revolubly supporting same, means carried by said member for rotating said drum, a pair of arms borne by said member and pro jecting from opposite sides thereof, and each of said arms having a' roller revolubly mounted thereon.

7; A pipe cleaner comprising a revoluble drum adapted to encircle the pipe and having a plurality of cleaning devices, a memher having a pair of yokes, which yokes straddle said drum and have means for revolubly supporting same, means carried by said member for rotating said drum, a pair of arms borne by said member and projecting from opposite sides thereof, each of said arms having a roller revolubly mounted thereon, and means for holding said rollers in place.

8. A device for removing scale, etc., from the outer surface of ammonia condenser pipes and the like comprising a revoluble drum adapted to encircle the pipe to be cleaned and having a plurality of revoluble the scale, etc., therefrom.

9. A device for removing scale, etc., from the outer surface of ammonia condenser pipes and the like comprising a revoluble drum adapted to encircle the pipe to be cleaned and having a plurality of revoluble cleaners which are adapted to ride on the outer surface of the pipe, each cleaner having an irregular cutting edge which is adapted to remove the scale, etc., from the outer surface of the pipe and being set so as to travel in a helical path around the pipe, thereby to cause said drum to move longitudinally of the 'pipe by surface engagement with the pipe periphery.

10. A device for removing scale, etc., from the outer surface of ammonia condenser pipes and the like comprising a revoluble drum adapted to encircle the ipe to be cleaned, said drum consisting of two semicylindrical members hinged together at one side and having means for locking the free sides thereof together, revoluble cleaners carried by said members adapted to ride on the outer surface of the pipe, each cleaner having an irregular cutting edge which is adapted to remove the scale, etc., from the pipe, and a member revolubly supporting said drum.

11. A device for removing scale, etc., from the outer surface of ammonia condenser pipes and the like comprising a revoluble drum adapted to encircle the pipe to be cleaned, said drum consisting of two semicvlindrical members hinged together at one side and having means for locking the free sides thereof together, revoluble cleaners carried by said members adapted to ride on the outer surface of the pipe, each cleaner having an irregular cutting edge which is l rier so as to permit opening of the carrier adapted to remove the scale, etc, from the pipe, a member revolubly supporting said drum, and means carried by said supporting member for rotating said drum.

12. A device for removing scale, etc., from the outer surface of ammonia condenser pipes and the like comprising a revoluble drum adapted to encircle the pipe to be cleaned, said drum consisting of two semicylindrical members hinged together at one side and having means for locking the free sides thereof together, revoluble cleangers carried by said members adapted to ride on the outer surface of the pipe, each cleaner having an irregular cutting edge which is adapted to remove the scale, etc., from the pipe, a member revolubly supporting said drum, means carried by said supporting member for rotating said drum, and means carried by said supporting member for engagement with the pipe or pipes adjacent to the pipe being cleaned.

13. A device for removing scale, etc, from the outer surface of ammonia condenser pipes and the like comprising a revoluble drum adapted to encircle the pipe to be cleaned, a plurality of revoluble cutters carried by said drum adapted to ride on the outer surface of the pipe and to remove the scale, etc., therefrom, a member revolubly supporting said drum, means carried by said member for rotating said drum, and a roller carried by said member for engagement with apipe adjacent to the pipe being cleaned.

14:. A pipe cleaner comprising a revoluble drum adapted to encircle apipe to be cleaned and consisting of two semi-cylindrical members hinged together at one side and having means for locking the free sides of said members together, cleaning devices carried by said members for removing scale, etc, from the outer surface of the pipe, and a member having a pair of yokes, which straddle said drum and have means for revolubly supporting same.

15. A pipe cleaner comprising a revoluble drum adapted to encircle a pipe to be cleaned and consisting of two semi-cylindrical members hinged together atone side and having means for locking the free sides thereof together, cleaning devices carried by said members for removing scale, etc., from the outer surface of the pipe, and a member having a pair ofyokes, which yokes straddle said drum and havemeans for revolubly supporting same, each of said yokes hav'ng its sides beveled to permit said drum to be opened from either side of said supporting member.

16. A pipe cleaner including a sectional cleaning means carrier adapted to be opened so as to be positioned on a pipe to encircle the latter, means to revolubly supportsa-id carrier which but partially encircles the Carwhile in the supporting means, and means to drive the carrier.

17. A pipe cleaner comprising a revoluble drum adapted to encircle the pipe and having openings adjacent to the ends thereof and a cleaning device located in each opening, there being notches in the outer surface of said drum adjacent to each opening in same, each cleaning device comprising a pin the ends of which rest in the notches in said drum adjacent to its opening in the latter, resilient means for holding said pin in its supporting notches in said drum, and a cutter revolubly mounted on each pin adapted to ride on the periphery of the pipe and to remove scale, etc., from same.

18. A pipe cleaner comprising a revoluble drum adapted to encircle the pipe and having openings adjacent to the ends thereof and a cleaningdevice located in each opening, there being notches in the outer sur face of said drum adjacent to each opening in same, each cleaning device comprising a pin the ends of which rest in the notches in said drum adjacent to its opening in the latter, resilient means for holding said pin in its supporting notches in said drum, and a plurality of cutters revolubly mounted on each pin adapted to ride on the periphery of the pipe and to remove scale, etc., from same.

19. A pipe cleaner including a drum having an opening and also having a notch at each end of the opening, which notches extend inwardly from the periphery of the drum, a pin having its ends extending into the notches and having cleaning means thereon, and springs securedto the drum to exert pressure against each end of the pm, each spring having a part thereof exertlng pressure on the ad acent pin end.

20. A pipe cleaner including a drum having an opening and also having a notch at each end of the opening, which notches extend inwardly from the periphery of the drum, a pin having its ends flatteiied and extending into the notches and having cleaning means between its ends, a pair of springs for each end of the pin secured to the drum,

each spring having its inner end bifurcated and extending into one of the notches and having the extremities of its bifurcations bent to form feet that conformably engage the flattened parts of the pin.

21. A pipe cleaner including a revoluble sectional cleaning means carrier adapted to encircle a ipe and having gear teeth which also encirc e the pipe, a semi-circular member exterior of the pipe which rotatably supports the carrier and has a rotatable gear which meshes with said gear teeth of the carrier, and means to rotate said gear.

22. A portable pipe cleaner including a revoluble cleaning means carrier adapted to encircle a pipe, means exterior of the pipe 24. A. pipe cleaner including a revoluble dllUIl adapted to encircle the pipe, cleaning means borne by said drum, a member having means to rotatably support the drum a.- therefrom, means carried by the member for rotating the drum, and means carried by said member for slidably engaging a support to hold the member against rotation.

25. A portable pipe cleaner including a revolublecleaning means carrier adapted to encircle the pipe, a device arranged at one side of the carrier and being engaged with a part of the periphery of the latter to rotatably support the carrier, means to rotate the carrier, and means to hold said device against rotation carrier.

26. A pipe cleaner including a revoluble sectional cleaning means carrier adapted to encircle the pipe, semi-circular means to revolubly support the carrier arranged tanduring the rotation of the ipe to drive gentially to the pipe, and means to actuate the carrier.

27. In a pipe cleaner, carrier, one-piece means to revolubly sup port the carrier, means to actuate the carrier, and means whereby the carrier may be placed around a pipe at a point between the pipe ends, while the carrier and actuating means remain in connection with said supporting means.

28. In a pipe cleaner, carrier, one-piece means port the carrier, means rier, means whereby the carrier may be placed around a pipe at a oint between the pipe ends, while the carrler and actuating means remain in connection with said supporting means, and means in connection with the supporting means to engage a relatively stationary point to hold said supporting means against rotation.

2. In a pipe cleaner, a cleaningmeans carrier, means to revolubly support the carrier, means-to actuate the carrier, and means in connection with the supporting means to slidably bear against a relatively stationary point to hold the supporting means against rotation,

a cleanin means to revolu 1y supto actuate the carall of said parts being adapted for movement along the length of the pipe.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY W. LEE

Witnesses:

GEORGE G. ANDERSON, WALTER C. Gums.

a cleaning means 

